Are there any RL pilots that play... And

[Mister Fork]

I found it easier to fly in real life than fly and dogfight in most flight sims. Like mentioned before - the perf vision and the physical feedback makes it much easier. However poor wx flying makes it more challenging in small aircraft in real life

[Old Sport]

Those pilots already know how to fly.  They went through a long and in depth training program to learn.  What the simulators teach are procedures and systems integration to fit into the world.  In the military that world is not only ATC, weather and navigation but there's that pesky little detail of also fighting a battle. They train in simulators not to learn how to fly but to manage their airplanes systems to help them more efficiently kill bad guys.  That's done on top of a civilian pilot who manages aircraft systems and unusual situations such as emergencies, systems failures and resource management.  The Military can build simulators and put pilots into situations where they learn how to handle their specific airplane without running the risk of putting two very expensive assets (plane and pilot) at risk.  They also use electrons as opposed to fuel.

I got in an hour + in a USAF T-38 sim at Enid, OK courtesy of my brother-in-law, then a USAF instructor. That sim was about as good as it gets on the ground - hydraulic motion, a full two seat cockpit mockup, and a huge widescreen display outside the a/c. We went supersonic for a while, turned around and landed on fumes. A major blast. Later in his career he got me into an F-15 sim with a hemispherical outside display, like a small IMAX, and full cockpit mockup. That was non hydraulic and more for the weapons management that you mentioned Golfer.

IMO AH could help you prepare for flight lessons, to get you familiar with the basics of flight, if you actually use the instruments. But as others have said in so many words, in AH there's no oxygen, no G's and no funerals.

[Denholm]

I'm a virtual pilot flying some of the most realistic desktop flying machines.

http://www.precisionmanuals.com

 

[beddog]

I was just curious how realistic is this game.  I mean I've never flown a plane but I sure feel like I could now.

Thanks

SWneocon

I got my license back in 86. I took off and landed a plane as soon as I was big enough too see over the dash of my Dads plane back in 73 or 74. Have flown a 1940s porterfield, also the cessna 150,152,172,182,210 and the piper tri pacer and the stinson. My favorite is probably the Cessna 172 just because it's an easy fun plane to fly with 4 seats not to mention that it was the only general aviation aircraft left that hadn't had an inflight breakup when I got licensed.  (at least the last time I looked the record was still going but I'm sure someone from the aces high NTSB will conduct a full investigation from their computer seat).

As far as the realism question goes, It's a pretty good attempt to try and give everyone a realistic flight experience without flying, unrealistic gamy stuff everywhere in the game though but that's why it's a video game. (sorry computer pilots).   Go out to your local airport and pay a few bucks for a left seat ride with a flight instructor and you will have the answer to your questions right away.

[rvflyer]

Didn't your flying instructor ever tell you to not trust your body instinct and feeling? Instructor fail if he didn't !
[/quote

How true Yenny, does not take long to confuse students and most pilots, doing a couple unusual attitude manuvers. Close your eyes
for a moment and you well not know if you are going down, climbing or upside down. Doing a few cross control manuvers
well confuse your seat of the pants feel for flying.
As a real life pilot, flight instructor I find that has does NOT help me much in this game. I find that I try to fly the game like I fly in real
life and this can get you killed in the game. IMO

[JHerne]

RV-6 and L-17B Navion since 1990, 3006 hours logged but currently grounded because of a medical (blood pressure issues and an undiagnosed episode of anaphylaxia). Ran an air museum for seven years, so I have hours logged in all sorts of a/c from G4s to Stearmans, AT-6s, Fouga Magisters, and MiG-15 UTI. Even have some right-seat B-25, C-47, and UC-78 time.

I think the standard 'stick back, nose up, stick forward, nose down' mentality prevails in the game, but as others have already said, the environmental aspects of feeling the aircraft and having natural forces acting on you simply isn't there, nor can it be in anything but actual flying.

I find the visual controls to be awkward, instead of turning my head to look at something, I have to input a keystroke or use the hat button on the stick, which takes away from the physical input to the controls, if even for a millisecond. It's one more thing your mind has to think of and process, whereas in reality your head is on a swivel.

I've never flown in a combat situation, so I can't comment on that, but I agree 110% that most of the things we do 'in-game', without actually shooting, would get us killed. On the other hand, flying 'for real', within the limits we've learned as real pilots, will get you killed really fast in the game. I think this is the hardest part of the game for me, because I'm naturally reluctant to put my virtual airplane into a situation that I couldn't get a real one out of. It's like closing the door of your car when you know the keys are locked inside, you know what's happening but you do it anyway...

J
 

[abc123]

You gotta be kidding...  right?

My thoughts exactly.  No offense meant, just never heard about it/ 'saw' him as one.  adonai, mind clarifiying?

[Yenny]

RV-6 and L-17B Navion since 1990, 3006 hours logged but currently grounded because of a medical (blood pressure issues and an undiagnosed episode of anaphylaxia). Ran an air museum for seven years, so I have hours logged in all sorts of a/c from G4s to Stearmans, AT-6s, Fouga Magisters, and MiG-15 UTI. Even have some right-seat B-25, C-47, and UC-78 time.

I think the standard 'stick back, nose up, stick forward, nose down' mentality prevails in the game, but as others have already said, the environmental aspects of feeling the aircraft and having natural forces acting on you simply isn't there, nor can it be in anything but actual flying.

I find the visual controls to be awkward, instead of turning my head to look at something, I have to input a keystroke or use the hat button on the stick, which takes away from the physical input to the controls, if even for a millisecond. It's one more thing your mind has to think of and process, whereas in reality your head is on a swivel.

I've never flown in a combat situation, so I can't comment on that, but I agree 110% that most of the things we do 'in-game', without actually shooting, would get us killed. On the other hand, flying 'for real', within the limits we've learned as real pilots, will get you killed really fast in the game. I think this is the hardest part of the game for me, because I'm naturally reluctant to put my virtual airplane into a situation that I couldn't get a real one out of. It's like closing the door of your car when you know the keys are locked inside, you know what's happening but you do it anyway...

J
 

O.o this is why i focus on rtbing a lot. It just feel more realistic then just go to a fight and fight til outta ammo and die.

[beddog]

RV-6 and L-17B Navion since 1990, 3006 hours logged
 

Check this baby out JHerne, it's for sale.  I always thought those Navions looked cool when I was a kid and we new a guy that had a twin and a single engine one.

http://n124n.tripod.com/

[Warspawn]

I actually determined to get my pilot's license because of the fun I had in Aces High!

I'm now working on my instrument rating, and will have my commercial done before Christmas if all goes as planned.

My instrument instructor asked me if I flew any simulators, because I was pretty far ahead of anyone else he was teaching.  Now that I'm flying with TrackIR instead of using stick buttons for views, I find myself doing a nice instrument scan while flying in AH.  I find the simulation highly educational; when I began my private I already knew about stalls and spins, and knew how to maintain a proper descent rate for landing, pitching for speed and using the throttle for altitude.

[JHerne]

That's a pretty Navion. We had one at my local field back in Jersey. I've never flown one, but I imagine it must have roughly the same performance as a Baron or Aztec.

A good point was made about RTBing...most players don't have that mindset, so they go in light with enough fuel for a one-way trip, giving them the weight advantage when they get into a fight.

I always try to RTB, so I end up at a weight disadvantage at the start of a fight. I've started carrying 50% with drop tanks for the outbound leg of the trip, sort of a balance to level the field a bit.

J

[Golfer]

That's a pretty Navion. We had one at my local field back in Jersey. I've never flown one, but I imagine it must have roughly the same performance as a Baron or Aztec.

Not a chance.  With 250 - 300hp a side Barons and Aztecs aren't in the same zipcode let alone same ballpark.  Twin Navion I expect weighs more than an Geronimo Apache with less horsepower and its single engine performance wasn't anything to write home about.

[JHerne]

My L-17 tops at 205ias Vne, 155ias cruise, so that's nothing to scoff at considering, especially when I OWN it and don't RENT it. Granted, it is a true L-17 with the IO-470, heavier gear, variable pitch prop, etc.

Now, when you take the same airframe and add another 225hp to it, you're gonna tell me a twin Navion is not even in the same ballpark? It's got a listed cruise of 170ias, so that probably puts the Vne well into the 220mph range.

Aztecs (stock, mind you) have a Vne of 210mph, and Barons have a top end of 233.

[Golfer]

As long as everything is working properly.  Take note I mentioned single engine performance.  It's going to, for lack of a better word, suck on an airplane like that.

Lets make it a 35ēC day with a 1000' pressure altitude.  I know I'd much rather be flying a Baron or Aztec than a twin Navion.  Single engine climb performance on a Twin Navion on a day like that likely doesn't exist but not having any performance charts I can't verify that.

[Nutzoid]

Ok guys, granted, AH is a video game and any similarities to RL are few and far between. But I wonder, how would AH stand up as a sim for those who fly UCAV's and the like? Their pilots may be hundreds or maybe thousands of miles away. How would our "game" compare to this?

Thoughts?